Update
2023-07-09T12:28:30.314Z
Lilian Calmejane has just been taken off the perch of a fan wearing jerseys. An incredibly stupid accident caused by a bystander. After what happened to Cras yesterday, that’s not what you want to see.
2023-07-09T12:22:32.255Z
The escapees are about to collect all the important points from an insignificant intermediate sprint along Lac de Vassivière. Uno-X fired from the front and took the points and cash prize through Abrahamsen, followed by Gregaard in second place.
2023-07-09T12:14:52.558Z
They sat up behind and finally the attacks stopped. It will be interesting to see how much of an advantage they have as both Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates are likely to believe their leader could win today’s stage and the bonus seconds that come with it.
2023-07-09T12:12:13.039Z
Jorgenson leads the group in a very fast formation as our group of 14 broke away from the peloton as soon as the flag was raised.
(Credit: Getty Images) 2023-07-09T12:10:07.873Z
EF does a good job of suppressing maneuvers, stalking any pursuers looking to try to bridge the gap to the lead group around polka-dot jersey wearer Powless.
2023-07-09T12:09:14.216Z
160 km to go
Alaphilippe tried again. The teams are becoming increasingly desperate as they seem to think they’ve missed the big moment. 14 strong riders and a well-functioning group mean they could have a chance of winning.
2023-07-09T12:06:38.377Z
Skjelmose and Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost) have risen to the top as a duo. This shouldn’t work, however, as it is quite a task to close a 1:06 deficit on his own and Bettiol is unable to put the Dane out of contention as Powless is already in the league for the American team break is.
2023-07-09T12:03:43.245Z
The last moves just fizzled out and the gap has shrunk back to 1:00. However, we are not entirely satisfied.
2023-07-09T12:02:56.995Z
We lost some sprinters on one of the uncategorized climbs that characterize this region of France: Jordi Meeus (Bora-hansgrohe), Pedersen, Stuyven and Sam Welsford (dsm-firmenich).
2023-07-09T12:01:17.110Z
Alaphilippe presses the gas pedal and tries his luck to bridge this train. He has a few companions with him and wants them all to work together to close this gap. He has Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) and Rui Costa (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) to help but no consistent move sticks.
2023-07-09T11:59:24.639Z
The Ineos Grenadiers are next to try to close the gap, while Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) is also looking to catch up with the frontrunners. Van der Poel and Skjelmose are also involved in this fight.
2023-07-09T11:58:04.147Z
Dries Devenyns (Soudal-Quick Step) is doing everything right for his team up front and the gap is starting to run up to 45 seconds. Can you close this gap?
2023-07-09T11:56:18.275Z
Our 14 riders at the front of the race are working well together as they try to extend their 53 second lead. However, the fight for the break is not over yet.
2023-07-09T11:54:02.158Z
At this rapid start to the 9th stage, speeds of up to 70 km/h are reached. Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies) had a defect at the end of the field and is now driving back into the peloton.
2023-07-09T11:52:35.832Z
The gap is 1:00 and it will be very difficult for any driver to close that gap. Trek and QuickStep ride front and back and must be unfortunate they missed it. Certainly not a quiet start to the stage. Van Aert is interested in the lead, while Pedersen and Asgreen are in contention for the time being.
2023-07-09T11:50:27.649Z
175 km to go
The peloton is still not content with missing certain teams. Soudal-Quick Step launched a late move to try and make it, but the pause works fine for now.
2023-07-09T11:49:37.988Z
Here is the composition of the current governing group:
– Neilson Powless (EF Education EasyPost)
– Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious)
– Clément Berthet (AG2R-Citroën)
– Gorka Izaguirre (Movistar)
– Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar)
– Michael Woods (Israel Premier Tech)
– Guillame Boivan (Israel Premier Tech)
– David de a Cruz (Astana Qazaqstan)
– Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan)
– Jonas Abrhamsen (Uno-X)
– Jonas Gregaard (Uno-X)
– Mathieu Burgaudeau (Total Energies)
– Pierre Latour (Total Energies)
2023-07-09T11:45:41.711Z
Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) has made that move and could pose a real threat for the win alongside Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) if the break is given a huge advantage. This lead group is already 30 seconds ahead and looks to be the move of the day as three more stragglers try to close the gap.
2023-07-09T11:43:21.924Z
We have a group of about 10 riders forming up with some blockage forming in the peloton. Is the break of the day already over?
2023-07-09T11:42:46.746Z
Our attacks fly straight out of the weapon. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) is the first to leave, followed by a whole host of other renegade hopefuls.
2023-07-09T11:41:41.910Z
182.4 km to go
The flag has been waved from the lead car by Christian Prudhomme and the race on stage 9 of the Tour de France is underway! Today is the almighty conclusion of one of the best first weeks in the history of this great race. Buckle up and get ready for action.
2023-07-09T11:38:46.984Z
The sun is shining, it’s scorching hot and we’re heading east towards the Massif Central. A big day is upon us: the GC fight will come to life at the stage finale on the Puy de Dôme.
2023-07-09T11:37:04.347Z
Here, Van der Poel is seen being presented with one of his grandfather’s bicycles on stage during an emotional morning in his grandfather’s former hometown. There were some nice nods to the great driver this morning and Van der Poel will mean a lot today.
(Image Credit: Getty Images) 2023-07-09T11:32:43.736Z
Stage 9 of the Tour de France is underway with a neutral start! We will cover just over 4km in the Départ Fictif before the flag is waved and the race begins.
2023-07-09T11:28:19.213Z
Understandably, Van der Poel was emotional at registration and the team presentation, even breaking down in tears on stage in a place so important to his late grandfather and family. Today, his team wears stripes in Mercier colors on their shorts in homage to Pou Pou.
#MerciPoupou 💜💛To honor #RaymondPoulidor, today our riders will be wearing a special version of #AlpecinDeceuninck’s team gear, with a specific reference to this stage and the iconic Mercier/#MerciPoupou colours! #AlpecinDeceuninck #TDF2023 #MVDP 📷 @facepeeters pic.twitter.com/JHvFa4bFF6July 9, 2023
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2023-07-09T11:22:55.370Z
With legends like Fausto Coppi, Federico Bahamontes, Felice Gimondi, Luis Ocaña, Lucien Van Impe and Joop Zoetemelk, we’ve seen historic winners on the Puy de Dôme in the past.
Who will join this illustrious list of some of cycling’s heroes to have won here?
2023-07-09T11:15:19.040Z
Aside from Cavendish, we saw another fall yesterday in Steff Cras (TotalEnergies) who said he was knocked off his bike by a spectator on the approach to Limoges. We had another DNA test this morning leaving our starting group at 169 riders as Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) had to retire after sustaining injuries in a bad crash on Stage 5.
Unfortunately we have to announce that @QuinnSimmons9 @LeTour will not start today. Quinn’s condition has not improved as hoped since his serious accident on stage five. He’s still feeling stiffness and fatigue so we decided to stop him to focus on his recovery. pic.twitter.com/GdvE1hExn5July 9, 2023
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2023-07-09T11:11:40.430Z
We are now less than half an hour from the neutralized start at Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, on a day that is likely to tear the GP race to pieces on the tough climbs of the Puy de Dôme.
2023-07-09T11:10:11.781Z
Yesterday’s dramatic stage was won by Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) in a hilly race to the finish line in Limoges, but the headline of the day was undoubtedly the end of Mark Cavendish’s (Astana Qazaqstan) 2023 Tour de France due to an accident he suffered himself broken collarbone. The Brit is now on his way back home to recover.
2023-07-09T11:01:41.089Z
If you want to know more about the history of Poulidor’s association with the Puy de Dôme, check out Barry Ryan’s great post about his battle against Anquetil on the slopes of the volcano in 1964, which resulted in one of cycling’s most famous photos.
Moment of Truth – The Puy de Dôme and the greatest duel of the Tour de France
(Image credit: WellOffSide/ L’Equipe) 2023-07-09T10:57:42.248Z
The starting point of Stage 9 in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat is closely associated with cycling legend Raymond Poulidor as that is where he lived. Pou Pou was one of the stars of the ’60s and ’70s, feuding with both Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx on many occasions, earning him the nickname ‘The Eternal Second’ as he never won the tour but is a real fan favourite was.
Today’s complete stage design is almost a homage to the great French horseman, in whose story the Puy de Dôme also plays a role. His legacy in the sport now lives on through his megastar grandson, Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Decuninck), and you may recall his entire Alpecin team wearing special jerseys in honor of Poulidor on the opening stage of the 2021 Tour de France . Here’s a look at the special bike that Van der Poel will be riding today in memory of his grandfather.
#MerciPoupou 💜💛As Stage 9 begins in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, home of French cycling legend #RaymondPoulidor, we will once again pay tribute to the grandfather of @mathieuvdpoel and #DVDP! 😍 First things first: these amazing @canyon_bikes that #MVDP will be riding today! pic.twitter.com/ZUQvf6L1dgJuly 9, 2023
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2023-07-09T10:45:04.555Z
Today’s 182.4km stage from Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat to the Puy de Dôme is one of the most anticipated stages in recent memory as the fabled mountain finish makes its debut in the Tour de France since 1988.
A big GC battle awaits us between the Tour’s last two winners, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), who are just 25 seconds apart at the top of the standings.
2023-07-09T09:54:48.418Z
Good morning and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of Stage 9 of the 2023 Tour de France!